Virtual Nevada

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AUTHOR: Michelle Dalpe     

 

HISTORICAL TOPIC/ERA: Virginia City Past and Present

 

GRADE LEVEL(S): 4

 

TIME REQUIRED:  One 45- minute class period in the computer lab. One day field trip to Virginia City, NV.

 

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:  The purpose of this activity is to give students  historical background information prior to a field trip to Virginia City. “Virginia City and the Comstock Lode played a crucial role in the development of the region and the nation. The news of its importance has reverberated throughout the world for nearly 150 years. The wealth of the Comstock's fabulously rich mines affected presidential politics and gave Nevada international fame. Nevada owes its very existence to mining (onlinenevada.org).”

 

NEVADA STANDARDS:

Nevada History Standard 6.8.22 Explain the events that led to Nevada Statehood, including: Comstock Lode .

Nevada Reading Standard 7.8.5  Describe the western frontier, including:  mining and communication.

 

STUDENT LEARNING GOALS/OBJECTIVES:

Students will compare and contrast life in Nevada during the late 1800’s to present day.  They will observe through virtual tours and hands-on experience the dress, the lifestyles, the schools, and the tools and resources available.

 

MATERIALS/SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS:

Students need access to individual computers and 3 D glasses.  Students will use the online encyclopedia www.onlinenevada.org.

 

ACTIVITIES/STRATEGIES:

1.  Students will work individually to explore Virginia City online at www.onlinenevada.org.  They will record information on the web hunt sheet provided.

2. The teacher should guide the students step by step into the appropriate part of the website.  They will record answers on student response sheet and will skip questions identified for during the field trip.

3.  After completing the web hunt, students will work in groups on the field trip to Virginia City to identify sights that have been virtually explored previously.  They will identify and record additional information learned through observation.

 

EVALUATION OF STUDENT LEARNING:

Students will be provided with a worksheet to record their answers.

 

 

 

 

Virginia City Past and Present

www.onlinenevada.org webhunt

 

 

PART 1

 

1.       go to www.onlinenevada.org

2.       in the search bar type “Virginia City”

3.       click on “ Virginia City and Early Nevada Mining”

4.       click on the link to the media gallery

5.       Scroll down to the picture of the Chollar Mine and click on it

6.       click on the front of the mine to enter

7.       click on “vein of silver” and explore mine

 

Pre-field trip:

What was the blue-gray mud that miners found?

How did the miners see in the mine?

 

During field trip:

Draw the candle holder in the vein of silver in the Chollar Mine.

 

 

 


PART 2

 

1.       return to the media gallery

2.       click on the picture of the Fourth Ward School

3.       Explore!

 

Pre-field trip:

What year was the school opened?

How was the school heated?

What do you think the holes in the desks are for?

 

During field trip:

What did you discover about the holes in the desks?

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART 3

 

1.     return to “Virginia City and Early Nevada Mining”

2.     click on the link for Samuel Clemens

 

Pre-field trip:

What name other name does Samuel Clemens use?

Name one famous book that he wrote.

What brought him to Nevada?

 

During field trip:

Upstairs in the Fourth Ward school you can learn about the printing press and typewriters.  Name one way that the typewriter is the same as modern day computer word processing, and two ways that it is different.

 


PART 4

1.     in the search bar type “Mackay Mansion”

2.     click on the picture of the bedroom

3.     take a virtual tour

4.     click on the picture of the bathroom

5.     take a virtual tour

 

Pre-field trip:

What does it say on the fireplace mantel in the bedroom?

How is the bathroom different from a modern day bathroom?

 

During field trip:

Notice the run down house next to the Mackay Mansion.  Why are the two buildings so different today?

 


PART 5    3-D

1.     click on the symbol for NV Online in the top right corner

2.     on the bottom of the screen, click “next “ on the special features until you see 3-D

3.     click “skip intro”

4.     click “Historical Nevada Stereographs”

5.     click on the 3D glasses and enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Response Sheet

 

1. What was the blue-gray mud that miners found?

 

 

 

2. How did the miners see in the mine?

 

 

 

3. During field trip: Draw the candle holder.

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


5. What year was the school opened?

 

6.  How was the school heated?

 

 

7.What do you think the holes in the desks are for?

 

 

8. During field trip: What did you discover about the holes in the desks?

 

 

9. What name other name does Samuel Clemens use?

 

 

 

 

 

10. Name one famous book that he wrote.

 

 

11. What brought him to Nevada?

 

 

12. During field trip:  Upstairs in the Fourth Ward school you can learn about the printing press and typewriters.  Name one way that the typewriter is the same as modern day computer word processing, and two ways that it is different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. What does it say on the fireplace mantel in the bedroom?

 

 

 

 

 

 

14. How is the bathroom different from a modern day bathroom?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15. During field trip:  Notice the run down house next to the Mackay Mansion.  Why are the two buildings so different today?